Photo a Day # 3

The underground carpark at work today - view from the car. Reason? From next week I wont be parking here as a new member of staff is obtaining my space. I'll be parking off site, so a memory of a summer being able to park at work - it was good while it lasted.

Photo a Day # 2

It was while having a cup of tea in the garden this afternoon, that I spied this earwig clinging to the underside of the mesh table we have on the patio. It's our commonest of 4 species of earwig in the UK (though sources now quote 7 due to new arrivals). It's a female of the species Forficula auricularia - female as its 'pincers' are straight (ish). This image I took underneath appealed to me. Wildlife is out of sight until we see it.

Photo a Day # 1

Back in 2013 I ran a blog called 365-2-50 which documented the year of my fiftieth year via a photo a day. It ended in October 2014, and since then I have done other things, but increasingly I've missed my blogging. Having now left Twitter and Facebook, I toyed with Instagram, but that is just a mobile based package. So a decade after I began blogging, I'm of again capturing an image a day, no connection to all the images other than, this image caught my eye on the day it was taken.

Photo Number 1

Cheddar Reservoir in bright sunshine 08.11.17

Swifts - well I think that's finally it....

 

Well I think that's definitely it. 2017 will go down in my memory as the summer of swifts. For you see we have had them nesting for the first time in the roof space of our house. On August 11th I heard the last screaming's of three around the house and on August 16th after not seeing a swift for a few days a solitary swift could be observed feeding over the garden amongst the chit chattering house martins. Since then, nothing.

 

For a few years now there have always been swifts around the house in summer. Screaming by but I always thought their nests were elsewhere. In early June however I found myself being attacked from all sides in the garden. So low and fast were these avian bullets travelling that I could easily hear their flup-flup-flup wing beats as they scudded by. Then as if an illusion (or one too many ciders) one flew in only 8 feet above then ground before rising like a jet fighter under the ridge tile and gone, out of sight, silence. 

 

Swifts usually arrive here on May 3rd, this year however it was lunchtime on May 4th. I keep a keen eye and ear open for their return around May Day and so it was that as I looked up from my pasty that anchor shape scudded across the sky. Then to my amazement few minutes later my first scream...from a swift I may add, not me. Unusual as they normally only scream around the nest site but I guess these African travellers were joys joyous on their return to Somerset.

 

Over the intervening four months I've learnt much about swifts (and realised for such a common bird I knew little). They go in for banging, not in some death metal stupor, but aerial stalling, used as anti predation defence. I learnt that kestrels are their main predator in Europe, as they sit and wait for the swifts to arrive at the nest. Clumsy of foot, the swift is at its most vulnerable as it lands before waddling into the hole or cavity where it's most rudimentary nest is housed. I saw no kestrel predation in Somerset, but did witness the resident sparrowhawk repeatedly flying off to the nest with fledgling house martins. But that's for another day, swiftly moving on then...

 

What I witnessed in Somerset was swift routine. Around mid summer I could set my watch to them. Between 6am and 10am they'd leave the roof and circle endlessly around the house, flying not more than half a mile away. My house is close by the neighbours (also with nests I discovered) with a 10 feet gap. I'd stand at the bedroom window before work and watch the swifts fly in like fighter bombers one after another at eye level. Then seemingly about to hit the window they'd sharply veer left and scream through the gap between the houses and away.

 

 

 

 

 

In the evening likewise. During the day the swifts disappeared, presumably to forage over the farmland or head up high into the air for a spot of sleep. Then at 8 pm sharp they'd be back screaming around and around the house in ever decreasing circles. The highest count was 17, so not a huge colony. Around 9pm they'd begin to do their low level practice runs. Over the shrubs of next door, swoop down over our lawn and then swish up onto the gable end of the house. For half an hour I could stand on the lawn and repeatedly have swifts pass just feet above me on these reconnaissance missions. Each time they'd stall in flight as they grabbed onto the wall, only for a second later to drop like a stone, pick up speed and fly back the way they came, this time though only 3 or 4 feet above ground in the opposite direction.

 

It became a magical evening each day to witness this.  But then the finale (and I'd read this happens), two swifts would come in together, just half a body apart. Research estimates they fly together only 0.25 seconds apart. As in the dummy runs before, the leading swift would come into the gable end, stall  (the banging)  and cling to the wall, for then a millisecond later its partner stalled but this time up and into the roof. A few noisy chattering's from the pair before the first bird then dropped off the wall and away. This happened between 9.30pm and 9.35pm for over 2 weeks. Astonishing repetition and presumably why in Europe the kestrel has worked out how to obtain a light supper before bed.

 

Most times when the bird had entered the roof, its mate would fly by one more time screaming (often accompanied by screams form within the roof) before I'd watch it fly off and up into the clouds. As both sexes share the natal duties, I have absolutely no idea which was male, or female.

 

This all went on for around a month until one evening in late July I came home from work and ventured outdoors. What a commotion from roof tile 5 as I'd christened it. Swifts were agitatedly flying back and forth, screaming encouragement and then silence, they'd be back, silence before then more screaming. But then a wing tip appeared from under the tile, then a bit of body, a foot, a wriggle and a squeeze, all the while the adults flying noisily overhead. Before like a stone the bird dropped out of the roof, gathered speed and flew off to be joined by screaming birds. I watched it's progress as it joined three others, the now four swifts flying in very close formation in a direct line. A family group almost touching wing tips as they flew in a tight group, higher and higher out of sight. I'd witnessed a fledge and stood there in the now silent garden, mesmerised. I can't put into words how exciting that was to witness a swift take its first wing beats, on wings that will never stop beating for three years or so. Astonishing.

 

 

While writing this I've been glancing out of the window over the fields (the aesthete in me says it was to gather thoughts by gazing into the distance in a melancholy. The naturalist in me says it was just to try and glimpse a swift one more time in 2017). But no. House martins and swallows a plenty, a noisy carrion crow and the ever present sparrows hoovering up seed like its going out of fashion, but no swifts. There are still reports of the odd swift locally, but in late August they'll be well on their way to Africa. As it should be.

 

Adieu then until next May my lovelies, it's been a blast.

 

....with the last word going to Richard Jefferies, from his book Field and Hedgerow,

 

"Dark specks beneath the white summer clouds, the swifts, the black albatross of our skies, moved on their unwearied wings"

 

Corvid moments on the Mendips



My nature blogging has been a bit lapse recently. I say lapse, I really mean non existent. Increasingly I've felt the pull of blogger.com and so todays observational nature experiences prompted me to once again put finger to keyboard.

 

 

I found myself on the Mendip Hills in Somerset this afternoon, a sunny and clear blue skies day, marred somewhat with the strong winds blowing off the sea, not quite gale force, but lively. I had four hours to spend up there between chauffeuring the current Mrs Dawes for a horse trek to the pub and back. Ample time for a bit of a nature ramble myself. Or so I thought.

 

 

Birds were on the wing, but that wing was an rocket in the making with the strong wind. Time after time I observed little brown jobs clinging to posts, wobbling like fruit jellies, before exhausted they flew off in an pirouetting arc. The swallows loved it in the wind, as did this buzzard.

 

I've seen buzzards hover like kestrels many times, but this one using the strong winds blowing in from sea level to 1000 feet was a superb hoverer. Can't really show what mastery it had of the air in stills photographs but the passing swallow helps show its immoveable position. Great to see. 

 

 

 

 

It was while watching and attempting to photograph the buzzard that about half a mile away in a Forestry Commission plantation I heard the unmistakable jack-a-jack-jack of alighting massed jackdaws. A quick count revealed around 100 jackdaws hurling themselves into the air, wheeling and jack-a-jack-jacking, family groups of adults and this years young, bonding, learning where the land lies and knowing corvids, just having a nice bit of fun. They rose and then landed back in the conifers twice, before the whole flock roe and flew overhead at speed in the wind. I never saw them again. Given corvids penchant for being site faithful this new area for me bodes well for winter corvid-roost-at-dusk dusk soirees.



 

But that wasn't the end of it. Jackdaws may be my favourite corvid, but they are closely followed by the raven. Or as todays treat became, 4 ravens, a pair and two juvenile. How I wished I'd been closer than about half a mile as through the binoculars their behaviour was fabulous, sadly the imagery less so.  At first all I heard was a buzzard 'mewing' and that familiar cronk cronk somewhere in the same trees as the jackdaws. But then four ravens flew out. Their typical languid flap and glide interspersed with dangling legs postures and wheeling in the wind , calling.  Nearby was a huge beech which all four flew into separately. I could hear their contact calls, a sort of muted carrion crow caw is my only way of describing it. I had some recording equipment with me but it was too windy and they were too far away to record.

 

Eventually the two younger birds flew out and landed on the fence posts splitting the field. One flew off almost immediately and back into the tree, but one stayed around for a while, allowing a long shot or two.  The adults flopped down onto fence posts under the beech tree, and at this point had little interest in the younger birds. All the while I could hear their contact calls, though not able to see which bird was making them to which bird. It's such a pleasure to watch ravens, possibly our most intelligent native wild bird. Their communication vocabulary has been estimated at over 100 different calls, many so subtle they are heard only in captive birds.

 

Eventually through boredom, change of location, fancied a change, I don't know but the two adult birds flew off and for around 10 minutes flew around, over and wing touching branches flyby the beech tree. Still calling their subtle contact calls, never the cronk cronk, I watched mesmerised through the binoculars - they were definitely enjoying the strong wind, but a bit of family bonding behaviour was adhered to the joy.

 

All too soon all the ravens departed and that was that, I was left with the chittering swallows and jelly wobbling sparrows on the gate.

 

A brilliant afternoon waiting for the horses to return.

 



Hunting corvids

They make it look easy on the television but I know from bitter experience it may take weeks of planning to arrive at a location and see a specific species or wildlife event. It doesn't happen easily and without those thousands of people on the ground daily cataloguing what is happening in the countryside, the events we witness on programmes like Winterwatch would never happen.

 

I realised  a year or so back that having travelled across the UK looking at wildlife, that which frequents my local area is a bit of a mystery to me. One I am rectifying, with the hook for this being my beloved corvids.

 

 

Every morning and every evening a flotilla of jackdaws and later rooks pass over the house heading north-ish. I know rooks nest in the village but somewhere there is a super roost of jackdaws and rooks. Thus I found myself at 4pm yesterday poised like a gazelle to follow the flock as they flew over. Poised like a gazelle I may have been; but all was anticipation and anti-climax. Though watching wildlife is never an anti-climax.

 

I haven't counted the nests this year but around 40 rook pairs nest around the village hall and church. As I arrived there were many of these settled in the sunshine on top of the trees by the village hall.  Soon though they departed to another tree nearer the church. No jackdaws yet. 

 

Corvid watching is often a fruitless business as although many are site specific they can move from area to area depending on food availability in the surrounding farmland. Not knowing where the roost is, unless they came over I had no idea where to look.  Nevertheless I watched a few carrion crows in a sheep field and a buzzard at rest. It was while looking at the buzzard that I heard the familiar jak jak of a jackdaw flock passing overhead. Except they were about 2 miles away and flying in off the sea, and not past where they usually fly.

 

Well that was disappointing. Watching them through my binoculars they headed in a straight line towards what I thought was towards Clevedon but on checking the map more towards Yatton a few miles away. There is a super-roost nearer Bristol so my only thought was they're heading there. Definitely more leg work needed on the ground to discover more. 

 

We get little owls around here too so after abandoning any chance of finding a roost site I went off looking for owl. Nothing, but a nice woodpigeon roost, blackbirds in full tik tik call - I did wonder if there was an owl nearby but couldn't see anything, and when almost dark 4 roe deer.

 

So no corvid roost, and no owls but do you know that doesn't matter at all. Just spending two hours in the local area discovering little pockets of activity was a winner to me. Where the jackdaws go is a mystery, and as I discovered today they flew over at 3pm a whole hour or more earlier than normal due to the heavy rain presumably.

 

All food for thought for another day.

The Results - The Christmas Bird Challenge 2016

 

 

For those of you, and there were 10 of you who took part, the results of the 2016 Christmas Bird Challenge are in. And It was a fabulous selection of birding lists from across the United Kingdom. The reason I like this challenge is that it "forces" us all out into the Great Outdoors over the festive period.

 

Although there were two categories, most from a garden and overall highest species list, the real winners are all of you who took part. Maybe as you enjoyed it so much we should consider an Easter challenge when the migrants will be flooding in. But that's for another day.

 

And so without further a-do here are the winners and the competition lists from those of you who took part. WELL DONE!!!

Garden Lists :  Winner – Andrew Smith with a whopping 33

Overall Supreme Champion – Stewart Sexton with 90

Here are the results in no particular order - just when they came in.

Iris Bassett – 9 species from around the Bristol area.

Iris wrote "Ducks under the bridge in Pensford near church yard. Quite a few other very small birds, (don't know if chickens and a rooster count).". Ed comment. No Iris domestic chickens or budgies are definitely not allowed :-)

Starlings, Seagulls, Wood pigeons, Blackbirds, Pheasant, Robin, Owl - only heard one, not seen, Woodpecker.

Dr Simon Acey  - We got a total of 85 species – North East and North West. 

Simon a great birder since childhood said " Had an excellent week walking off Christmas excess. Highlight for us was excellent views of a water rail though missed the waxwings... Attached is our list from Dalton Piercy. Don't know if the Black Swan counts - it was in the wild at Saltholme. I think our total is therefore either 84 or 85 "

Ed comment. Sorry Simon I failed completely to download and read your list, but knowing how honest you NHS staff are, it's all okay :-)  Oh and yes a black swan, if it is living wild and not in a captive collection, is allowed.


Stewart Sexton – aka the Boulmer Birder from Northumberland  90

Stewart lives next to the best stretch of coast in Northumberland and has a fantastic blog, where he also posts some of his outstanding bird art. No list from Stewart, but his 90 stands on a nod and a handshake over Facebook !!

Stewart said "Hi Andrew well thats the week done and I finished on a nice clean 90 species. Highlights included Peregrine, Mediterranean Gull, several Kingfishers, Black tailed Godwit, Purple Sandpiper and Grey Plover. Obvious misses were Coot, Meadow Pipit, Skylark, Fieldfare plus many more. I didnt do any twitching or even visit any reserves, all seen just wandering around locally. All tbe best, Stewart. "

Well done Stewart a great win especially if having not visited any reserves.


Andrew Dawes – 80 – South West

A weird year for me doing this. I got to nearly 60 species by Boxing Day and then each day struggled to add more. But overjoyed with the otter on Chrstmas Day, as well as a greenfinch as I'd not seen one of these once ubiquitous finches for over a year.

Christmas Day in the garden - Robin, house sparrow (35+), starling, collared dove, wood pigeon, carrion crow, blackbird, magpie, herring gull, jackdaw, redwing, blue tit, black headed gull, dunnock, great tit. Out and about on the Somerset Levels - buzzard, long tailed tit, grey heron, little egret, pheasant, rook, goldcrest, goldfinch, chaffinch, moorhen, coot, cormorant, teal, OTTER, kingfisher, great crested grebe, wren, marsh harrier, greylag goose, pochard, jay, great spotted woodpecker, kestrel, stonechat, lapwing, widgeon, snipe (flushed from a few feet away - magical views), shoveller, bullfinch, great white egret, gadwall, reed bunting.

Remaining species from Boxing Day - Canada goose, pied wagtail, little grebe, tufted duck, Cetti's warbler, Raven, BITTERN (spotted by Julie in amongst the starlings at roost at Ham Wall),

Sand Bay 27th - my local patch. Curlew, oystercatcher, shelduck, dunlin meadow pipit, grey plover.

Topsham in Devon 28th - Day out with the nearest and dearest but I had to take my bins : Red breasted merganser, avocet, brent goose (bit far away over the mudflats to see if pale or not),bar tailed godwit, black tailed godwit, song thrush, redshank, water rail, goldeneye.

Cheddar reservoir 29th - scaup, common gull, lesser black backed gull, fieldfare (at last!!) grey wagtail, sparrowhawk, green woodpecker.

December 30th - absolutely nothing!

New Years Eve in Wiltshire - Red kite, greenfinch, corn bunting, coal tit and stock dove.

New Years Day - abysmal weather but had an hour at Catcott just to get out - pintail! Last bird of the year.

Ed Drewitt – 86 -  Around the south of England.

Ed is one of the top birders and wildlife experts in the UK and hosts wildlife holidays for organisations like Naturetrek - and what he doesn't know about peregrine feeding habits is not worth knowing. He and his wife Liz almost toppled Stewart.

Ed said " Hello Andrew, Happy New Year! I reached 86 bird species (88 if we combine Liz and me together). Highlights include four red-throated divers, hen harrier, corn buntings, thousands of knot and wonderful views of waders at high tide on the Isle of Sheppey, Bewick's swans, all the winter thrushes, barn owl, stonechat and nuthatch. Hope you had a good festive season - our birds have been busy in the garden. Best wishes Ed "


Julie Rana – 15 from the stables in Northumberland.

Great list Julie, good to know the horse fields are alive with birds, I hope this has sparked more interest - I know it has as you'll be doing the Garden Birdwatch soon with your son. Good luck with that.

Julie said " Bird race - Stable yard and winter field., Choppington, Northumberland. Buzzard, robin, chaffinch, blue tit, crow, common gull, starling, pheasant, jay, blackbird, collared dove, wood pigeon, racing pigeon, wren, partridge. xx "


Gill Brown – 49  in total from around North Somerset.

Gill is one of natures champions - a dormouse and otter expert and passionate about all wildlife in her local area and beyond. It is people like Gill who spend hours a week helping wildlife.

Gill said "Facebook managed to lose the message I sent with this! The best birding days were taken up with family but we did brave the rain yesterday and spent a rather dull afternoon on the Severn Estuary. Great fun though and I would definitely do it again. Thanks Andrew!"

Garden - 18
Blue tit, Great tit, Goldfinch, Blackbird, Wood Pigeon, Collared dove, House sparrow, Long tailed tit
Magpie, Black headed gull, Starling, Greater spotted woodpecker, Tawny owl, Robin, Wren, Carrion crow, Dunnock, Jackdaw

Out and About – 31

(Land Yeo Valley and Towerhouse Wood, Backwell Lake, Clevedon sea wall, Severn Beach, New Passage, Aust, Strawberry Line, The Causeway on Nailsea Moor)
Mute swan, Shoveller duck, Tufted duck, Mallard duck, Feral pigeon, Green woodpecker, Curlew
Reed bunting, Skylark, Shellduck, Stonechat, Lapwing, Oystercatcher, Greenfinch, Kingfisher, Herring gull, Moorhen, Buzzard, Meadow pipit, Raven, Pied Wagtail, Canada Goose, Redshank, Dunlin, Grey Heron, Coot, Little egret, Cormorant, Water rail, Rook, Song thrush.

Andrew Smith –  33 - North Yorkshire

Andrew's 33 from and around his garden is a great total - we did have a long FB discussion about the hooded crow (normally not seen in England) and having done some searching a couple of records were put in from Durham and North Yorkshire over Christmas too. So the 33 stands.... next time a photo Andrew - we'd love to see this in Yorks.

Andrew said " Have really enjoyed this - I feel privileged to have seen these all from my own house / garden "

1. Blackbird 2. Goldfinch 3. Great Tit 4. Blue Tit 5. Cole Tit 6. Crow 7. Hooded crow 8. jackdaw9. Collared Dove 10. House Sparrow 11. Tree / Hedge Sparrow 12. Gull 13. Pigeon 14. Wood Pigeon 15. Starling 16. Robin 17, Pheasant 18. Chaffinch 19.Fieldfare 20.geese (Barnacle) 21. Blackcap 22. Greater Spotted Woodpecker ( Male ) 23. Lapwing 24. Wren 25. Kestrel 26. Canada Goose 27. Black Headed Gull 28. Greenfinch 29. Grey wagtail 30. Mallard 31. Brambling 32. Tree creeper 33. Sparrow hawk


Richard Comont – 38 - Malverns and Cheshire

Richard is one of life's greats - and so young :-) A superb entomologist now bringing his unique way to Bumblebee Conservation. As a Dr PhD id have expected nothing less than Richards spread-sheet with both species and detailed information. If you ever get a chance to meet Richard at an event, you must. Great man.

Richard said " Hi Andrew, My sightings attached - 38 species in all, all from walking the dog on the Malverns plus a drive up to Cheshire.  Highlights were ravens, a pair of peregrines, and the first bullfinches I've seen in a long time! Cheers, Richard"

Collared Dove, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Black-headed Gull, Pheasant, Rock Dove, Starling, Lapwing, Grey Heron, Coot, Mallard, Mute Swan, Woodpigeon, Blue Tit, Jackdaw, Blackbird, Goldfinch, Fieldfare, Redwing, Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Canada Goose, Carrion Crow, Robin, Black-headed Gull, Tawny Owl, Raven, Song Thrush, Wren, Bullfinch, Green Woodpecker, Long-tailed Tit, Buzzard, Jay, Peregrine, Dunnock, Magpie.


Miranda Bell – 19  from Herefordshire

Miranda and her husband has just moved back to Hay on Wye after years in France and someone I met through blogging - having blogged about her wonderful wildlife rich garden in Brittany. However we've never met, but in 2017 plan to rectify this.

Miranda said " Hi Andrew  Hope you've both had a great Christmas...here are a list of birds seen in our garden here near Hay from 28 Dec – 1 Jan...not that impressive compared to others I’m sure. The highlight was the female Bullfinch – see so few of these now. Look forward to hearing how other people got on!"

Great tit,  Blue tit, Coal tit, Robin, Dunnock, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Buzzard, Chaffinch, Song thrush, Gold Crest, Bullfinch, Fieldfare, Starling, Blackbird, Long tailed tit, Crow, Wren, Magpie, Redwing

And last but by no means least....

Lyn Hunt – Dorset – 15 Garden

Lyn is another one of my blogging contacts and another I have not met although we used to frequent the same areas of Dorset.  Great to have your garden list Lyn, and on one day. Now here's a thought, you have 15 - how many at the end of 2017?

Lyn said " I saw 15 different varieties of birds in our garden on the 1st January, does that count?
Sparrows, Starlings, Dunnock, Blackbirds, Robin, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Carrion Crow, Wood Pigeon, Jackdaw, Nuthatch, Great Tit"


Thank you all for taking part - I hope you all enjoyed it, enjoyed working out what the birds were and above all enjoyed being out and about in nature. If I have missed anyone out, please do let me know and I'll rectify this.

Now where are my bins.............

A Damp Grey Wet New Years Day 2017

Down here in Somerset it is a damp, grey and very wet start to 2017. The ran began about 7am and as I write this around 1pm, it is still 'dreek'  A day for staying in, candles on and the fire warming the ancient bones.

I did have an offer to go to Slimbridge today with a friend who is in the Bristol Ornithological Society, but birding in the wet is something I no longer do. I had enough of that yesterday in Wiltshire, a wet cold county in winter. 

So I have resigned myself to a fairly low score on the Facebook bird race I suggested to those out there willing to give it a go. I'll not post numbers here yet, save to say having got over 50 by Boxing Day, each day since then has seen my score only increase by one or two new species. Partly weather and partly doing other things over Christmas. Many quite common species (until yesterday no coal tit, green woodpecker or fieldfare) and most birds of prey have escaped my binoculars this year. It fascinates me that in some years this bird race has been easy, birds flowing into view, and others, like this year, struggling. Looking back the NHU bird cup started 14 years ago. 

This year also see the tenth year of my blogging. The halcyon days were 2008-2009 when I seemed to blog about wildlife every other day. With the arrival of Twitter into my life in 2010 (which I no longer do) and Facebook in 2011 my blogging suffered, except in 2014 when I blogged an image a day to celebrate my 50th year. I've missed blogging and taking the opportunity today to revisit some of the posts, they, like a diary, take me back to a place and time. 

Thus my one and only resolution for 2017 is to blog about wildlife and the countryside once more. I'll end with a posting from January 3rd 2008 January 3rd 2008.  I'm not going to make that total this year!!

Happy New Year to everyone reading this and if you can suggest new blogs to visit, let me know. I wish to expand my horizons.